You Want A Show?
by Kat Bee Dee
Summary: SEQUAL TO THE BEGINNING OF HAPPILY EVER AFTER. Giselle and Robert have been married for two years now. Life with their two children is so perfect and wonderful. Too perfect... The problem seems to be that Giselle's life can't seem to just STAY wonderful.
1. Chapter 1

_My readers and fans are going to flip a chicken when they see this. I mean, seriously, if I were obsessed with a story I might tip a cow too if a sequel came out! I've had several people mention writing a sequel to me, and I've had a few closer friends who know where I live (it makes a difference) beg me to write a sequel (or else). I suppose I finally decided I would. After consulting my #1 fan, Sydni, I decided that I really wanted to write this. Another part of me knew that I would all along, mainly because when I tried to start writing other stories, they just wouldn't work. I hadn't broken of myself from the characters in this story. I couldn't write about Delysia, or myself, or anyone because they weren't Giselle. I never properly let her go. I didn't set up the end of the story to make myself able to do so. I guess I'll just haven to keep writing until I'm ready to let her go._

_And on a separate note. The first about 10 chapters of this story were already written before I finally posted any of it. This was for one reason and one reason only. I HAD NO TITLE! I wanted a title that would tie in to the original movie. And I also wanted one that fit the story I was writing, of course. In the end, I think the title I chose was very fitting indeed. In fact, I almost laughed at the irony! All my readers of TBOHEA complained about the end of the story and how there was no climax or main action. So, I ask you, readers, "You Want A Show? I'll GIVE You A Show!" (However I may change the title later on, completely depending upon how the story goes.)_

_I own none of the characters. The idea for Enchanted is completely the work of Walt Disney Studios, not me._

_Chapter 1_

"Baby mine don't you cry.

Baby mine dry your eye.

Rest your head close to my heart, never to part

Baby of mine."

Her sweet voice filled the room with its pureness and clarity. She slowly swayed to the music she was producing, smiling softly to herself. The baby in her arms hardly stirred, soothed by his mother's voice.

"Little one when you play,

Don't you mind what they say.

Let those eyes sparkle and shine, never a tear

Baby of mine.

If they knew sweet little you,

They'd end up loving you too.

All those same people who scold you,

What they'd give just for the right to hold you.

From your head to your toes,

You're not much goodness knows.

But you're so precious to me,

Cute as can be,

Baby of mine."

Giselle kissed the little boy's forehead, poor thing, too exhausted to keep his eyes open any longer. His red ringlets fell in a small halo around his head, and his pink lips pouted out, both features in contrast with his pale skin. Cooper had grown so much. He was getting so big. At least, it seemed this way to his parents. Truth be it, he was rather small for his age, most likely because of being so premature at birth. Of course, they all thought he would catch up before he turned a year old, but he was still just a little guy. Obviously taking after his mother in the aspect of size as well. Well, he was only 18 months old; he had the rest of his life to grow.

Silently padding across the nursery to Cooper's crib, Giselle gingerly laid him down and pulled up the baby guard. Her fingers brushed across his cheek before she stood to her full height and gracefully tiptoed from the room.

Her bare feet made no noise on the dark wooden floor of the apartment hallway, and she walked so lightly that one might not hear her even if they were listening very closely. Lights from the city filtered through a window into the dark apartment, a soft summer breeze blew through the propped open pane of glass. Giselle gently pushed the door to their bedroom open and slipped in, hoping not to wake her sleeping husband. The over-sized, t-shirt jersey of his made for a nice nightshirt in the summer since it got so hot, and she had taken to wearing it with nothing else but panties in the heat that this June had brought with it. Carefully climbing onto her side of the bed, Giselle slipped her bare legs beneath the thin sheets. Glancing at Robert's alarm clock, Giselle noted to herself that the next day when she could hardly keep herself awake, she could blame it on her son who kept her up until 11:56. Of course, it wasn't Cooper's fault she had kept him out too long the other night, hence tampering with his sleeping schedule.

With a deep and exhausted sigh, Giselle laid her head down on her pillow, facing Robert's bare back. She could almost feel the bags under her eyes as her eyelids drooped. Something kept her awake though, it seemed like hours that she was lying there, but when she slightly lifted her head to check the time it was only 11:59. Three minutes. Her fingers reached out to touch Robert's cool skin, tracing his shoulder blade and moving over his shoulder to his chest. She splayed her slender fingers in his chest hair and moved closer to him, almost spooning his body with her own. Giselle kissed his shoulder, her lips lingering on his skin before moving to his neck.

A grunt sounded from Robert's throat, and Giselle giggled quietly. She combed her fingers through his dark hair and softly kissed his head.

"Some people have to wake up in the morning, you know," Robert groaned, as he remained completely still, unwilling to establish being awake quite yet.

"Two…whole…years," Giselle whispered between kissing his head, moving to the nape of his neck.

"Already?" he grunted.

"Yep," Giselle smiled, looking to the clock again, which now read 12:02.

"You sure? Maybe you've got the dates mixed up," Robert buried his face in his pillow, his voice muffled.

"I can't believe it's been this long already, it hardly feels like two years at all," she tilted her head in her own wonderment before kissing his shoulder again, gently sucking on his skin.

"You keep that up and I'm going to have the entire office staring at me awkwardlyfor a week," Robert's muffled voice came from the pillow again.

"No," Giselle whispered fondly, kissing the red skin where her lips had just been, "None of that."

"Any more hickeys and it'll look like you've been smacking me with a baseball bat," he added.

"Two years, Robbie…," Giselle sucked on his neck.

"You're not gonna quit until I'm up, are you?" Robert sighed.

"Two years," she nibbled at his ear.

Robert grumbled and turned over to face her in the dark. She smiled at him with a joy that he never could completely understand. Her wide eyes gleamed, and yet were somewhat jaded at the same time. The ever-present love that she possessed swelled, and he knew it. He knew how she was feeling and why she felt this way. It was impossible to resist her any longer after he met her eyes.

"You haven't changed a bit, you know that?" Robert whispered softly.

"I'm sure there's something different about me, your memory's just a little rough," she kissed his nose lightly, her lips brushing away again.

"Happy anniversary, honey," Robert smiled, "It's been two years, if you were gonna leave I'm pretty sure you would have high-tailed it by now."

"I love you," Giselle giggled as she kissed his lips, gently at first, but more intensely when he pulled her closer with his hand on the small of her back. Her fingers wound in his hair and played with the curl at the nape of his neck. She felt his hand slide under her shirt just as a whimpering started from the baby monitor. "Right now?" Giselle groaned, pulling away to go take care of it.

"I'll get him, babe," Robert caught her arm.

"Angel," Giselle let out a sigh of relief and kissed Robert's cheek before letting him go.

"Ah, well, I figure that two years of dealing with him in and out, you could use a break," Robert ran his fingers through her hair.

"Happy anniversary, darling," she smiled weakly, falling back into the bed and almost instantly forgetting about everything—all thoughts replaced by those of pure exhaustion. If anything, thoughts of the down pillow immediately becoming her best friend filled her brain.

Robert paused, watching her as she lay with her eyes closed. It was beyond him whether she was already asleep or not, but God was she beautiful. He almost couldn't believe he had already been married to that gorgeous creature for two years. It was true, Robert Phillip really was the luckiest man on the face of the planet. And he wouldn't have it any other way.

_I didn't think it needed a terribly long beginning. I just wanted to catch my previous readers' attention. Hold on, you're in for a ride!_


	2. Chapter 2

_

* * *

_

I own none of the characters. The idea for Enchanted is completely the work of Walt Disney studios not me.

_Chapter 2_

"Ow! Cooper, let go!" Morgan screamed, trying to pry the baby's fingers away from her hair. Cooper only replied with a squeal of delight. Morgan's eyes began to water, "Mommy!"

"Cooper, baby, let go of Morgan's hair," Giselle took Cooper from Morgan's arms, pulling his fingers away from her long brown hair.

"Why does he do that?" Morgan sniffled, wiping her eyes quickly.

"He doesn't know it hurts, he's only playing, honey," Giselle kissed Morgan's head, "You'll be okay."

"I wish he'd stop," Morgan said crossly.

"He's only a baby, you're eight—almost nine!—I'm pretty sure you can be a big girl about it," Giselle sighed, shifting Cooper on her hip. She walked to the table and looked through her tote bag for her cell phone. When she finally one-handedly found it, she scrolled down her contacts to Mia's number and called it. It rang several times before she picked up.

"Where are you?"

"I'm sorry, Beth called, and she's sick, so I have to figure out something to do with the kids," Giselle said, grabbing Cooper's fingers just before they latched onto her own hair.

"Bring them with you! I need you here!" Mia half-shouted.

"Are you sure?" Giselle let out an internal sigh of relief.

"Yes! Now get here A-S-A-P!" Mia said loudly before hanging up.

Giselle shoved her phone back into her bag and turned to Morgan, quickly dismissing the fact that Mia gave no reason for needing her there so desperately, "Sweetie, you're coming to work with me today, okay?"

"Do I have to?" Morgan whined, making a face.

"Yes, now hurry up and grab something you can play with while you're—ah!" Giselle grabbed Cooper's fist to keep him from pulling the hand full of her hair any harder, "Baby, quit that!"

"He never gets in real trouble," Morgan grumbled, turning toward the hall to head to her room.

"He's a baby, Morgan, what am I supposed to do?" Giselle called after her.

"Put him in a cupboard and never let him out!" Morgan yelled back.

Sinking to a chair, Giselle rested her head in her free hand. She had never wanted things to be this way. What kind of mother would want her child to be so unhappy—and because of another of her children! Her shoulders shook and a tear rolled down her face and fell into her lap. Cooper released her hair and reached for her face, his fingers spread out over her cheek. She opened her eyes to look at the little boy catching her tears.

"Oh, Cooper, I don't know what to do," Giselle kissed his forehead and carefully wiped the running eyeliner from her cheekbones.

"Mama?" Cooper whimpered.

"Yes, Coop, I know," Giselle sighed, kissing him again.

It had been a surprise to everyone that Cooper talked as little as he did. Even Giselle became worried when he hadn't spoken his first word at sixteen months. It had just been in the past two months that he started saying anything at all. He used two words to say everything he wanted to, it was how he said the words that told them what he wanted. "Mama" and "yes" were those two words, the only ones he apparently felt he needed.

"I just don't know what Daddy'll say about all of this when he finds out…Oh well, I shouldn't worry about that when I've got everything else to worry about. What a mess I am…" Giselle squeezed Cooper, looking into his shimmering blue eyes, before setting him gently back on the floor. She stood, batting at the skirts of her dress to get the wrinkles out.

Very rarely did Giselle break like she just had, she wouldn't allow her pain to be seen by anyone—well, she tried her hardest not to anyway. Stress gripped her like an iron fist and she couldn't find a way out. Of course, she tried to get out, but with no one helping her anymore, things were only becoming more and more difficult. This wasn't how she had imagined life for herself, but she loved Robert, and she loved Morgan, and she loved Cooper. What else was she supposed to do? Bottling it all up seemed like the only option. Sooner or later—though she tried not to think of it—she knew her bottle was going to blow.

If, in fact, she would ask Robert to help her more, and if, in fact, Robert agreed to do so, that would mean he would have to take hours off of work. And heaven knew they couldn't afford that. Giselle was trapped in this sucking vortex she created for herself. Cooper needed constant attention, and Morgan felt replaced and forgotten. Neither of the children had any time with Robert, because he was always working. Giselle herself hardly spent any time with her husband, which was completely unfair, but--unfortunately—completely necessary. On top of all of this, she had to run a clothing design studio every day and take on all of the stress that came with taking care of a business as well. She was truly yoked.

There were so many days when she asked herself if it was worth it, if she wanted to continue on like this. But when it came down to it, Giselle loved her job as a clothing designer and a mother. Though she felt as though the wife area of her life was a little lacking—in plenty of ways. Well, it would have to continue on that way. It would just have to do.

"Morgan?" Giselle called down the hall.

No reply came. Though Giselle couldn't be completely sure through Cooper's loud crooning as he crawled about the floor gnawing at plastic toys.

"Sweetheart?" she called a little louder. The response was the same: nothing.

Her brow creased with a mixture of worry and confusion. Giselle made her way down the hall, her red vintage pumps clicking on the wood floors, and gently pushed Morgan's bedroom door open. At first, she saw nothing at all, but then she heard a faint sniffle. Stepping around the bed, Giselle found Morgan in a heap on the floor.

"Baby, what's wrong?" Giselle instantly stooped down beside the girl, running her fingers through her brown hair.

"He's your baby, not me," Morgan said coldly, pushing Giselle's hand away.

"I'm so sorry Morgan," Giselle bit her lip as she scooped Morgan into her arms, "I'm so sorry…"

Morgan was stiff in her mother's grasp, unwilling to let her guard down. She wasn't about to give in. It wasn't just that simple. If only she could ignore her the best she could, then maybe Giselle would just…let go. Morgan knew all too well that nothing seemed to hurt her mother more than being given a cold shoulder. She'd seen this treatment go on plenty of times between her parents. But it was difficult to stay angry with someone, especially when this person is someone you love—and loves you more than you know. Her shoulders dropped, and Morgan slipped her arms around Giselle. Salty tears filled her eyes and soaked into the fabric of her mom's dress. Barely, maybe even feebly, she hugged her back.

"I wish Daddy was home more," Morgan whispered shakily.

"Me too, Sweetie. Me too," Giselle squeezed Morgan and kissed her head.

"I love you," Morgan whimpered, her voice almost cracking.

"I love you too, Morgan, don't forget that. I know that it's hard for you, and that you don't like to have to share your time with your Dad and I with Cooper, but he's just a baby. And he loves you too! Dad is working very hard for us, and I think you're old enough to understand that he can't always be with us. And I'm working too, Sweetheart, I'm working for you. I love you so much," Giselle tilted Morgan's chin up and smiled at her, kissing her forehead before loosening her arms around her. "You are very good, and I am very proud of you."

"Does Cooper always have to be with us though?" Morgan asked, a pathetic, wide-eyed look on her face.

"I'll tell you what, tomorrow is Sunday and I'll take the day off and we can go do whatever you want, just me and you," Giselle giggled, smiling brightly.

"Really?" Morgan's grin grew, stretching almost from ear to ear.

"Of course, silly," Giselle laughed, "But for now, I think we ought to get off the floor and go check on your brother to make sure he hasn't gotten into any trouble."

"I thought he wasn't ever supposed to be alone…?" Morgan's sentence wavered off into a question.

"You scared me! I thought something was wrong or you were hurt!" Giselle giggled again, gracefully getting to her feet, "Besides, I'm not sure what he could possibly get himself into when absolutely everything has a baby-safe lock on it."

* * *

"Is she there yet?"

"No, our plan worked and she got held up by Bethany saying she couldn't watch the kids because she was 'sick', you've got plenty of time."

"You're sure?"

"Why wouldn't I be? Giselle called and told me so herself, as long as you get here pretty soon to set the whole trap up then you should be fine."

"How much time would you say I have before she gets there?"

"I'd guess twenty to thirty minutes."

"That long?"

"She sounded pretty stressed out, I think you've got awhile."

"Good."

"I don't know how you talked me into helping you do this."

"I'm smarter than you give me credit for."

"Just get here soon, I told Giselle to hurry, so you've got to be faster than she is, and I've seen that woman move. If you mess this all up, you can't blame me, I've done my part," Mia sighed, hanging up her phone and tossing it onto the cutting board. She shook her head slowly, looking out the glass walls of the studio into the bright sun, almost hoping that the plan would fail. But that wouldn't fair…not to her, not to Giselle.

_Alrighty then, you read the fluffy first chapter of what appeared to be a pretty decent situation. Of course Giselle would make it seem that way, that everything was okay so long as she knew he loved her. And then you read chapter two; The real deal: Giselle is stressed out and Robert is never home. Not so romantic anymore, is it?_


	3. Chapter 3

_Yesterday my mom downloaded this new virus protection software and GUESS WHAT! It fixed my problem!!! I hope you're happy that the new chapter is up! (I know I am!)_

_I own none of the characters. The idea for Enchanted is completely the work of Walt Disney studios not me._

_Chapter 3_

"Cooper!" Morgan scolded as her brother wriggled in her arms, trying his hardest to get out of her grasp, "Mom, I'm gonna drop him!"

Giselle whirled around on the sidewalk and took the redheaded baby from her daughter. She stood up straight again, and with her free arm she attempted to flag a cab down, unsuccessfully, to her dismay. Looking down at Morgan, Giselle let out a deep sigh, "Subway it is."

"I don't like the subway," Morgan sighed along with her.

"Me neither, Sweetie." Giselle turned and headed the other direction. One disadvantage to the apartment they were currently living in was the distance between it and Giselle's studio. It was close to Robert's office though, so it did count for something. Though she really had enjoyed being able to walk to work before they moved to Tennessee. Of course, she could still walk there if she really wanted to, it would just take much longer than she had time enough for—especially with Morgan and Cooper in tow.

On the subway, Giselle couldn't find a seat and had to stand, holding Cooper tightly with one arm and the overhead rail with her other. Both of her arms were aching considerably by the time they reached the stop closest to the studio. Cooper hadn't seemed to mind, poor thing didn't sleep well at all the night before and was exhausted. It only scared Giselle having him on a packed subway like that with so many strangers and people that looked like the polar opposite of her definition of "trustworthy", and therefore held onto him as if he were a sack of pure gold straight out of Timbuktu. Morgan had her arm fastened around Giselle's waist, traumatizing memories of a certain experience with untrustworthy strangers always reminding her to make sure she never let her mother out of her sight, even if that meant latching herself onto her. Although Giselle was definitely feeling the results of being squeezed so hard for that long, it was definitely reassuring to know that Morgan wasn't going _anywhere_.

Once they were above ground and out on the sidewalks again, with Morgan grasping her right hand, and Cooper barely awake in her left arm, Giselle headed toward the studio. Great, only a block away. It was only about nine o' clock in the morning and Giselle was already feeling stressed and disgruntled from the subway—_never _her choice of transportation. As they came within two buildings of the studio, Giselle heard her phone start ringing, the song "Beating My Heart" by Jon McLaughlin blaring from her purse.

She groaned and stood close to the building they were by, so as not to be bumped into by the rush of people on the sidewalk. Carefully handing Cooper to Morgan, Giselle dug through her bag until her fingers found the hard surface of her cell phone, "Mia, I'm like almost there!"

"Jesus! How long does it _take_?" Mia exasperated, and then said—away from the phone, "Are you almost done?"

"What?" Giselle asked, cocking her head.

"Nothing! Just get here!"

"Well, hang up and I will," Giselle sighed, hanging her own phone up instead, "My _goodness_! Come on, Morgan."

Giselle started walking again, leaving Cooper in Morgan's arms since they were just feet away from the studio. As she pulled the glass door open and held it for Morgan, Giselle looked around the high-ceilinged room. The lights were off and it was silent, in an eerie way that made chills run down her spine. The bell on the door still seemed to be ringing, although the door was already closed. She put her arm out the keep Morgan from moving, her heart thumping in her chest.

"Mia? Sarah…?" Giselle took a step forward and tripped on something—though she hadn't seen anything there a moment ago. She was falling hard and fast, and then she stopped and the lights turned on and things were falling around her. She slowly lifted her head to see who or what had broken her fall, and her knees buckled when she saw the face.

"Is this a habit of yours? Falling off of stuff?" an all-too familiar voice quoted.

"Only when you're around to catch me," Giselle finished and threw her arms around Robert, kissing him as if it were their wedding day all over again. Flower petals fell all around them, landing on their heads and shoulders. Her fingers were on his face and in his hair. The romance of the moment making her forget all about how scared she had been only seconds before.

When their lips parted, Giselle felt tears in her eyes again for the second time that morning as Robert held her against his chest. The difference this time was that she was laughing. She was laughing like she hadn't remembered laughing in a long time. And it was the strangest feeling, like she was floating in a cloud of flower petals. And she looked into Robert's smiling eyes as she laughed, and everything was right.

"Bet you didn't see that coming," Robert said, a sly grin on his lips.

"Oh my goodness! Robert, you scared me so _bad_!" Giselle laughed hysterically.

"I love you," Robert whispered, swaying with her in his arms.

"I needed that, I really did," Giselle giggled, pecking his lips, "What a wakeup call!"

"And all I had to do was stall you all morning, get here, and set that trap for the petals up in the ceiling," Robert chortled.

"You did that yourself?" Giselle gasped.

"You bet I did!" Robert kissed her again, "I thought of it last night after you finally fell asleep."

"What gave you the idea, huh?"

"Well, after you woke me up and one thing led to another until Cooper started up again, I realized how much I _miss _kissing you," Robert whispered as he kissed her. "So, I decided that I would get you by surprise at just the right time so I could kiss you all I want."

"Mia was _sooo_ in on this," Giselle grinned, running both of her hands up into his hair as he kissed her again.

Sarah had taken Cooper from Morgan who was now sitting toward the back of the studio close to the racks of fabric talking to Mia. If anything, they agreed that this was definitely a good thing. Of course, Morgan giggled at her parents because it was weird, but she secretly hoped this meant things were going to change for the whole family. The only thing she was careful to do was not let her hopes get too high.

"Thank you," Giselle sighed, now resting her head on Robert's shoulder, his arms still snuggly around her, "I really mean it, thank you, honey. Thank you, thank you, thank you."

"Don't you worry about it," Robert stroked her long hair, twisting a curl of red hair around his finger, "But…as much as I hate to have to go--."

"What?" Giselle interjected, flying backward, though his arms still held her close.

"I was saying that--."

"I _know_ what you were _saying_, I just can't believe you're saying it!" Giselle shook her head vigorously, as if it were a figment of her imagination that she could just shake away.

"You know that my boss is difficult, I had a hard time taking just _one_ hour off this morning," Robert sighed, almost as if he knew this would come, but hoped that she would let it go. He tucked her hair behind her ear and kissed her nose.

"Alright, go if you have to," Giselle smiled at him weakly, "Thank you so much for doing this for me."

"I love you, happy anniversary, babe," Robert planting one last kiss on her forehead before dropping his arms and heading out the door.

"Happy anniversary," Giselle's eyes fell to the floor, to all the petals. A tear fell down her cheek and sank to the floor, taking a handful of the multi-colored petals. She looked around at all of the silly things that she had loved so much a few moments ago. It all seemed like a wonderful dream that she was forced to wake up from. Now she was awake, and everything was exactly the same as before.

"No," Morgan whispered to herself, slowly shaking her head, "No!"  
"Morgan, just stay here, she'll be fine," Mia laid a hand on Morgan's knee.

"Why is Mom sad again?" Morgan asked quietly.

"I don't know, hon, I don't ask, it's not my business," Mia wouldn't let

herself look into the little girl's heartbroken eyes.

"You _do_ know! Why won't anybody tell me anything? Daddy is never home and Mommy is always sad! _Why_?" Morgan asked in her normal voice.

"I really don't know, Morgan, I don't know if your mom even knows," Mia shrugged.

"Everyone acts like everything is okay! When he's around she acts normal! She acts like there's nothing wrong at _all_ when he's around! But then he says goodbye like always and she's sad! Why?" Morgan's voice rose, and Mia hoped Giselle wouldn't hear.

"Maybe when he's around your mom acts like everything is okay because she _wants _it to be okay," Mia said. She watched the little girl's eyes well up.

"What's _wrong_?" Morgan persisted. But Mia wouldn't respond, only looking on the little girl with pity, unable to say any more.

A sick feeling sank in her stomach as her chest heaved, forcing herself to breathe. Giselle felt like the world was slipping out of her grasp. She thought of running out after him the way she always thought of doing. But she never did. Suddenly anger rose within her and she scattered the petals, throwing them away from herself. Hot tears rolled down her face as petals fluttered to the ground again, only to feel herself harden more. They wouldn't go _away_. They were there, reminding her that he was gone, again. Stupid, stupid, _stupid_ petals. "Please," Giselle sobbed, "go away."

"This is bad, go get her, Mia," Sarah said; almost pleaded.

"I've seen her scream and yell—anything but cry," Mia whispered. It was true. This was a whole knew level of her that they had never seen, especially not in her professional appearance. This was a whole new broken level of Giselle that her employees didn't believe existed.

Morgan flew out of her seat before Mia had a chance to move. She threw herself onto the floor by her mom, tearing petals from her hands, "Mommy! Stop it! Please! _Please_…."

"C'mere," Mia took Giselle's wrists and hoisted her to her feet, "You're okay, come on."

"It's not fair, it's not fair…," Giselle cried, allowing Mia to lead her toward the back.

"I know, don't worry, he'll be back, it'll be okay," Mia reassured her, pushing her down into a chair.

"No it won't! It's been three months, and he's never home, and he's…he's _never home_," Giselle cried, mascara and eye-liner running down her face all over again.

"Wait, three months since…?" Mia trailed off, raising her eyebrows.

"Yes! Threes months since that!" Giselle buried her face in her hands.

"You don't think he's messing around on you, do you?" Mia narrowed her eyes.

"Of course not! He would never do that! I think…," her sobs suddenly renewed, "He is, isn't he?"

"Come now, let's not jump to conclusions. Besides, a man so obviously in love wouldn't do that. And after seeing what I just saw between you two, there's no doubt he's still insanely in love with you," Mia said thoughtfully.

"Then _why_?" Giselle cried.

"Why don't you ask him?" Sarah said.

"Ask him?" Giselle sniffled.

"Yeah, I mean, why not?" Sarah shrugged.

"I love him too much," Giselle sighed, wiping her eye, "I can't say anything because I—I love him too much and I trust him."

"Well, you obviously don't trust him, otherwise you wouldn't be caterwauling like that," Mia snorted.

"Caterwauling?" Giselle's brow furrowed.

"That's beside the point. What matters is that you're miserable and this is affecting Morgan and Cooper--."

"And your work," Sarah added in, solemnly.

"I'm not miserable," Giselle insisted, looking away from Mia's eyes.

"You certainly aren't yourself," Mia sighed, gently laying a hand on Giselle's shoulder.

Giselle shook her head, meeting Mia's eyes again, "Well, then, you tell me, who am I?"

_I was told that Giselle overreacts. But it was what I felt fit. Let the woman have a breakdown for crying out loud! Haha, well, I guess it's not my opinion that matters. It's really yours. So review please! I'd really like to know what all of my readers think! _


	4. Chapter 4

_I own none of the characters. The idea for Enchanted is completely the work of Walt Disney studios not me._

_Chapter 4_

Giselle rocked slowly back and forth in the blue rocking chair in the living room. Cooper was wide awake, sitting quietly near her feet with a Tonka truck and making motor noises. Morgan sat on the couch watching television. It was rather peacefully quiet compared to an average evening in this particular apartment, and Giselle was finding it difficult to stay conscious because of her lack of sleep recently. She had a casserole in the oven, but it would be another half an hour before it would be ready. It was nearing eight o' clock, and Robert still wasn't home. Not a surprise, he didn't get off until 8:30.

"Can we go to the park?" Morgan looked over to Giselle.

"What's that, Sweetie?" Giselle shook away her exhaustion.

"Tomorrow, can we go to the park? You promised you would do something with me," Morgan reminded.

"Of course, if that's what you want to do," Giselle nodded.

"Yep," Morgan smiled, obviously satisfied. She watched her mother for a few minutes, the way she just rocked back and forth. It was almost as if she was thinking very hard, but she looked so worn out. Morgan remembered the way Giselle used to be, and she missed her being that way, but she had never mentioned it. Not until it seemed like it really ought to be mentioned, "Mommy, why don't you sing anymore?"

"What do you mean? I still sing," Giselle smiled weakly at Morgan.

"I don't hear you sing," Morgan replied quietly.

"Well, I sing to your brother when he can't sleep," Giselle added.

"You don't sing to me," Morgan sighed unhappily.

"You want me to sing to you?" Giselle giggled.

"I liked it when you used to sing and tuck me in and tell me stories about Andalasia," Morgan looked away from Giselle's eyes, hoping that she wouldn't see the tears she was fighting back.

"I thought you were too old for all of that," Giselle said, her weariness fading.

"I'm only eight," Morgan whispered, her voice cracking faintly.

"Come here," Giselle called gently sitting up a bit. She watched Morgan hesitantly stand up and pad over to where she was sitting. Giselle motioned for Morgan to sit on her lap and pulled the little girl forward.

"What?" Morgan asked quietly getting in a comfortable position.

"Is it just me, or is a certain little girl who used to want to grow up so fast suddenly acting a lot younger?" Giselle tucked a strand of Morgan's hair behind her ear.

"No," Morgan looked away.

"Morgan, you don't have to be any different to get my attention. Now if you really want me to tuck you in every night and sing to you and tell you stories, then I will. But if you just want more attention, say so. You're not in trouble, sweetie, don't worry. I'm sorry that I let things get this way, I should have stopped it all a long time ago. From now on, if you think that I'm not giving you enough of my time, just tell me. I can't do anything about something I don't know about. I wish that I could bring Daddy home and tell him to be with us more, but I can't. I'm not _that_ strong," Giselle smiled at her daughter.

"You're the strongest person I've ever met," Morgan whispered..

"Oh sweetheart," Giselle hugged Morgan tightly, kissing her head, "I wish I could be. I wish I were stronger for you and Cooper. I wish that I were strong enough to do something about all of this. I'm sorry that I'm not…I'm so sorry."

"I love you, Mommy, you don't have to be any stronger," Morgan squeezed Giselle.

"My goodness, you sound more mature than I do!" Giselle giggled, discreetly wiping her eye.

"No I don't, I'm only eight," Morgan shook her head, grinning.

Giselle sighed and ran her fingers through Morgan's soft hair, "You won't always be."

"Morgan, go get your PJ's on."

Looking up in complete surprise, Giselle saw Robert in the doorway to the kitchen. Her face grew warm as she realized she had no idea how long he had been standing there, she hadn't even heard him come in. She quietly cleared her throat, "We haven't eaten dinner yet, it's still in the oven."

Morgan looked from Giselle to Robert and back again, not sure who to obey.

"Go on," Robert repeated.

She watched her turn and go down the hall quickly. Giselle looked at Robert again, "You're home early."

"I got off at eight and picked up some champagne and flowers," Robert avoided her eyes.

"That's nice," Giselle nodded, in turn looking away from his eyes as well. It was obvious because of the awkwardness that he had been there long enough.

"I'm not going to beat around the bush, Giselle, we both know I have something to tell you," Robert started taking his jacket and tie off as he spoke.

"We do?" Giselle asked, the question sincere. She hadn't been thinking in that direction. Maybe he hadn't heard what she said after all.

"I…eh," he shot her a sly look and his voice completely changed as he triumphantly declared, "I got promoted!"

"What?" Giselle practically felt like the wind was just knocked out of her.

"I know, it's great, right?" Robert came toward her and pulled her to her feet.

"That's wonderful, honey," Giselle smiled as he kissed her and held her against his chest in a tight hug. Inside she was screaming, this was all wrong. A promotion meant more hours. He would never be home. Never. A tear felt down her cheek and soaked into his shirt.

"Are you cold?" Robert inquired, holding her at an arm's length.

"No. Why would I be? It's the middle of June," Giselle replied as she focused her eyes on Cooper to have something to look at beside Robert's penetrating eyes.

"You're shaking…are you feeling alright?" he put the back of his hand the her forehead.

"I'm fine."

"You're sure?"

"Fit as a fiddle," Giselle smiled feebly at him.

"Alright, I'll go check on dinner," Robert turned, heading back toward the kitchen, dismissing the situation. He had done all sorts of strange things recently, but never once could Giselle recall him letting the subject go when she lied and told him she was fine. He always persisted and she always refused, but he simply moved on this time.

"I almost feel sorry for Nancy, now," Giselle sighed shakily.

Robert stopped in the doorway, "Nancy? What makes you think of her?"

"That feeling of complete and utter betrayal she must have felt when she saw me with you that first time," Giselle continued, willing her voice to keep from breaking.

"What about it?" he wouldn't look at her.

"It's an awful, terrible, _sick_ feeling," Giselle felt a tear slip down her face.

"Honey?" Robert met her eyes at last.

"You don't _look_ at me the same, you don't _talk_ to me the same, you're never home, you don't spend time with me or your kids, you leave early and come home late. The only thing you tell me is that you're going to work! How am I supposed to know whether it's true or not? You're so—so _obsessed _with work that the only conclusion I can come up with is that someone else is involved!" Giselle's bottle was blowing, and it was Robert who shook it up.

He held her gaze in silence, pain burning in his eyes.

"Why aren't you denying it?" Giselle felt her heart pounding in her chest, realization washing over her in a title wave, "Tell me I'm wrong! Tell me that you're at work everyday working insanely for your family! Tell me I'm being ridiculous and immoral for evening _thinking _you would do such a thing!" Her voice was no longer quiet and shaky, it grew until she was yelling at him.

"I love you, Giselle," Robert shook his head.

"Tell me!" she screamed, tears streaming down her face.

"I never deserved you," Robert tore his eyes away.

"Get. Out," Giselle said through gritted teeth.

"Giselle…please," Robert pleaded.

"You violated our vows! You broke promises you made to me over and over again! You—," Giselle felt her throat close up. Someone shook her shoulder, but no one was there.

"Giselle, wake up, sweetheart," Robert shook her shoulder.

Giselle's eyes flew open and she looked around herself frantically. She was still in the rocking chair in the living room. "What time is it?"

"It's almost ten o' clock. Morgan is asleep and Cooper is…very unhappy in his crib without his mama," Robert chortled.

"When did I fall asleep?" Giselle yawned.

"Morgan said that you fell asleep just a little after eight," his brow furrowed a bit, "You seem sort of…scattered, what wrong?"

"Nothing," Giselle waved it off.

"Something is wrong, I can tell," Robert insisted.

"Bad dream," she sighed.

"Wanna tell me about it?" Robert tucked her hair behind her ear and leaned in closer to her.

"Robert, you would never lie to me about what you were doing everyday and cheat on me, would you?" Giselle bit the inside of her lip as she watched his eyes.

"What in the world gave you such a ridiculous, _immoral_ thought in your head?" he narrowed his eyes on her suspiciously.

"Thank goodness," Giselle sighed with relief.

"Care to explain?"

"I love you so much," she kissed his nose.

"I love you, too," Robert smiled, "Although that really didn't explain anything."

"I know," Giselle grinned deviously and pecked him softly on the lips.

"Giselle," he sighed deeply, kneeling beside the rocking chair where she sat.. He held her left hand between both of his and kissed her knuckles, "You have no idea how much you mean to me."  
"I think I've got an idea," Giselle giggled.

"Take a shot," Robert chortled quietly, her laughter infectious.

"Well, your entire existence, of course! After all, I am your true love, your one coquette, the answer to your love's duet," Giselle said in a dramatic sing-song voice.

"You make me sound like some knight in shining armor," Robert laughed.

"Oh, but you are! You're _my _knight in shining armor," Giselle beamed brightly, flashing her white teeth as she leaned forward and ran her fingers up into Robert's hair. She searched his eyes as he smiled back up at her, but somehow her own smile faded a little, "Although…it would be nice if you saved me a little more often."

"And what might you need saving from, my fine lady," Robert laughed, not catching her shift of mood.

Giselle's smile completely vanished as she leaned back into the chair. For a moment she had convinced herself that she could be strong enough to tell him, but now her confidence was diminishing. Maybe it wasn't her, maybe it was him. Maybe she couldn't do it because of him, because something he said, because something he did. Or maybe it was because he didn't take her seriously that made her change her mind.

"Those terrible, _terrible_ drafts coming from the window," Giselle offered him a weak smile, hoping it would be convincing enough—though she never had been good at giving convincing weak smiles.

"And a high maintenance lady at that," Robert chuckled, "Might you be cold on this stiff summer evening?"

"Terribly so," Giselle tried to keep herself from laughing through the thick mock drama.

"I think, m'lady, that I might know a cure for this chill you possess," Robert said nobly.

"Dear knight, what is the idea?" Giselle sat up again, the gleam in her eyes returning.

"Well, there was plan A: throw you into a pit of molten lava, but that wouldn't do because the children would surely cease to exist without you," Robert said, shaking his head with faux grief.

"Oh, and what is plan B?" Giselle asked, a sly smile slipping onto her lips.

"Yes, yes there was plan B: whisk you off to our bedchamber and make love to you all night," Robert stood, offering her his hand.

"You're sure this will help, my dear knight?" Giselle looked at him innocently from below her eyelashes.

"I am most certain it will."


	5. Chapter 5

_I own none of the characters. The idea for Enchanted is completely the work of Walt Disney studios not me._

_Chapter 5_

"Would you like to feed the birds? It's only a dollar a bag."

"Oh, Mommy! Let's feed the birds! Can we?" Morgan tugged on Giselle's hand.

"Of course," Giselle smiled, opening her small black clutch for a dollar. When she went to hand the old woman on the bench the money, she paused, gasping, "Clara!"  
"Yes?" the woman seemed confused.

"I remember you! From two years ago, you told me about my prince! We talked…," Giselle trailed her sentence off; the exciting memory wasn't recalled in Clara's mind, which was apparent from the lost expression on her face.

"Would you like to feed the birds?" she asked again, trying to understand what Giselle was trying to tell her.

"That would be wonderful," Giselle smiled again, gently pressing the folded bill into Clara's wrinkled hand.

Clara picked up a small bag of bird feed and handed it to Giselle. She passed it to Morgan, who instantly opened it and started feeding the pigeons gathered around the old lady. Giselle sat beside Clara on the wooden bench, looking at her thoughtfully.

"Aha!" Clara suddenly said, a dawning look on her face. She turned to Giselle, "Did you find your prince?"

Giselle beamed, "Oh! You _do_ remember! Well, I did find him, but he turned out not to be my prince after all."

"That's awful, although he did try to kill me," Clara sighed wheezily, her weak hands fumbling with the fabric of her shawl.

"It's not so awful, I found my real prince. It was strange, he was right in front of me all along," Giselle grinned, almost spacing out a bit in the memory. She giggled, "It's too bad he was trying to get rid of me for awhile."

"He doesn't deserve you," Clara said, looking into Giselle's eyes.

"Pardon?" Giselle was rudely awakened from her fond memories, forced into the reality of feeling alone again.

"No man who would ever try to get rid of you deserves you," Clara shook her head solemnly.

"Oh, that…he didn't mean it to be mean. He didn't know me, and I…I was a very different person to deal with," she had to think for a moment for how to describe herself.

"You are very nice, that's all that matters," Clara said, nodding her head to confirm it.

"We got married that June, yesterday was our second anniversary. We have a baby boy now, and Morgan of course. We're…we're very happy," Giselle cleared throat quietly after the fib. Maybe Robert was happy, and to admit so, she was happy too, but_ they_ weren't happy. Well, something about them was unhappy. Or empty.

"That's good," Clara nodded.

"Come on, Mommy! I want to go see the fountain!" Morgan pulled Giselle's hand again, dragging her away from the bench.

"Oh, good bye! It's been so nice talking to you!" Giselle called over her shoulder.

"Have a nice day!" Clara said in her sweet, throaty voice.

"You're just like your father," Giselle said looking down at Morgan, "Honey, don't be rude. You don't do that when I'm talking to other people."

"But you're here with _me _today!" Morgan reminded her, silently pleading her with her eyes.

"I know," Giselle sighed, smiling again. For some reason, being here today with Morgan had Giselle reeling with memories of that one day she spent with Robert in the park so long ago. Everything they had done so far had her reminiscing, and almost forgetting that Robert wasn't there.

Morgan skipped a few paces in front of Giselle, happily humming a song Giselle used to sing while cleaning. Giselle watched her carefully, making sure not to lose sight of her. She walked at a moderate pace, her strappy black heels clicking on the path through the park. Her white dress had multiple skirts going to her knees, the outermost being lacy and delicate, it had a wide red waistband and black buttons down the front, the sleeves were cut off right past the shoulder, and the neckline dipped low, almost—but not quite—showing cleavage. Of course, the dress had been designed and made by none other than herself, the look having initially been inspired by Mary Poppins, but twisted with a touch of Giselle.

It was a perfect, bright, sunny day to be in Central Park, Giselle found herself with the urge to sing like she had done with Robert. Maybe she would, though she wasn't finding lyrics coming to her. If they had, her happiness might as well have spread them with everyone. Morgan would certainly have loved it if she were to sing. It was strange how Giselle could possibly find herself so joyful, even with her dissatisfaction with Robert and their marriage. She thought that it might have been the reassurance that he gave her that he by all means was not cheating on her the night before. Honestly, she didn't know. But being here with her daughter, just having fun all day made her feel more liberated than she had in a long, long time.

"Hurry up, Mom!" Morgan called from a few yards ahead.

"I can only move so fast," Giselle replied.

"Are you kidding? I've seen you move _way_ faster!" Morgan made a face at her mother, walking backwards as she spoke to her..

"Watch where you're going, sweetie! You might knock into someone," Giselle said through her laughter.

"I'll turn around when you walk faster," Morgan raised her eyebrows challengingly at Giselle.

"Would you just do what I tell you?" Giselle shook her head.

"Nope, you've got to catch up to me," Morgan giggled, still walking backwards in spite of her mom.

"Morgan!" Giselle yelled just as Morgan reached a turn in the path and bumped into a person on stilts.

The little girl screamed in surprise as the bright red person wobbled alarmingly. Giselle rushed forward to Morgan and pulled her out of the way just as the person started falling. She shielded Morgan with herself and closed her eyes, and there was a large splash. The stilts had catapulted the person into the pond fairly close to the path, causing water to be thrown on everyone within ten feet.

Morgan was the first to make a sound, laughing as she pulled away from Giselle, "I told you I would turn around when you caught up."

"I can't believe y--," Giselle began to scold her, but stopped. She looked down at herself, her soaking skirts and damp hair on her shoulders. At first she thought it made her angry, but then she giggled. Her white bra was faintly showing through the wet white fabric of her dress, but she didn't care, it only made her laugh harder. Her partially straightened hair was curling into spirals again. "I can't believe you made that poor man fall into the water," Giselle whispered loudly, suppressing her fit of giggles.

"He's alright, see? Someone is helping him," Morgan pointed out.

"Yes, but you didn't _listen _to me," Giselle reprimanded her jokingly, finding irony in the situation.

"Aren't you mad at me?" Morgan asked, confused by her mother's laughter and lack of seriousness.

"No," Giselle smiled brightly, "I'm not. I'm not angry at all."

"Why not?" Morgan inquired, tilting her head to the side with curiosity.

"Why should I be?" Giselle took Morgan's hand, walking with her.

"Because I didn't do what you told me to do!" Morgan exclaimed.

"Sure does sound like you've learned your lesson then," Giselle grinned, giving Morgan's hand a squeeze.

Finally understanding, Morgan laughed, "You're really wet."

"I'll dry off."

Taking a bite of her caramel apple, Morgan looked up at Giselle, studying her spaced-out expression; a faint smile. Morgan swallowed the last bite of the apple and looked down at the water beneath the bridge they stood on, finding her reflection staring back up at her. She surveyed the sun low in the sky, but not quite setting, just casting a warmer glow on everything.

"Mommy, are you happy when Dad is home?" Morgan asked hesitantly.

"Of course I am! How can I not be happy when he's home?" Giselle sighed, almost dreamily.

"Why don't you stop pretending? I see what you really feel like in your eyes, it's not hard, Mom. I don't know why he doesn't see it," Morgan looked away from her mother's eyes, afraid she might get in trouble for speaking up.

"I'm not pretending. When your father is home I _am_ happy! And do you know why? Because I love it when he's around, I intend to spend every minute I have with him to the fullest. I'm sure that he isn't exactly thrilled with having to be away from us all the time either. There are many things we could yell at each other for, being so irritable and stressed after a whole day of work. But is that what you want? For us to fight more?" Giselle's brow furrowed with concern, looking at Morgan.

"No," Morgan replied quietly, biting her bottom lip.

"Then what?" Giselle persisted, laying a hand on Morgan's shoulder.

"I just want you to be happy again," Morgan whispered, meeting Giselle's eyes.

"Morgan, I am _so_ happy, you have no idea. I have Cooper, and Daddy, and I have _you_. Spending today with you was a wonderful idea, it's a date that has been long over due. I'm sorry that I can't make Dad stay home more for you and Coop, and trust me, I would if I could. I'm busy too, I'm doing what I have to, and he's doing what he has to. I'm not unhappy," Giselle said, the last sentence again with more emphasis, reassuring Morgan of it's truth, but even more so—herself.

"Is he ever going to stop working so much?" Morgan asked, one last shimmer of hope gleaming in her eyes.

"Oh, sweetie, I wish I knew," Giselle sighed, running her fingers through Morgan's hair, "Just think, this isn't that bad at all. Some kids' parents have to work a lot more just to keep them in smaller apartments, you are very lucky to have a father who has a good job who you get to actually eat dinner with. It's really not a big deal." Once again, Giselle felt like she was telling herself this.

"Yes it is, you never talk to each other," Morgan persisted.

"You tell me, when he comes home, what does he do?" Giselle raised her eyebrows, "Go on."

"He takes off his jacket and tie and either finishes making dinner for you or sits down with us if it's already done. Then he puts Cooper to bed and says good night to me while you wash the dishes," Morgan replied slowly, thinking it over as she spoke the routine aloud.

"Even after working all day he comes home and helps me. Honestly, sweetheart, after my long day I'm glad to have someone do something for me," Giselle said, making her point.

"But you don't talk," Morgan repeated.

"We…," Giselle trailed off, she wanted to say that they talked after Morgan went to bed, but that wasn't true. It did happen to be that way the night before, but normally they both went straight to bed, too exhausted to deal with each other's problems. Now that she thought about it, Morgan was right, they never talked besides the few words spoken over the dining room table. And what was the day before but a mere annual exception to this silence? Even then, they didn't talk about anything that made any impact. Robert surprised her at work, kissed her, came home at night and seduced her. Was that all she was for? Raising their children, kissing, and sex? Way to make your wife feel appreciated on your anniversary. Really, when it came down to it, Giselle felt not only alone—but used.

Her mind reeled, trying to find some truth to tell Morgan to assure her that her parents' marriage was fine, that there was nothing to worry about. She felt her face flushing and her pulse racing as she searched for some memory, something reasonable, something close to recent, something…anything! Recent—there was nothing recent, nothing she could really find any warmth in whatsoever. In fact, recently Giselle felt that Robert apologized less and less for not being there for her. He seemed to either not care anymore or was just unaware of how he seemed to be slipping away from Giselle. If only she knew that he really wanted to be with her more, then maybe she wouldn't feel this way. Maybe he really was sincere about everything he said to her on their anniversary, that he missed her, or—how did he word it? "Missed kissing her". He probably meant that he wanted to be there to kiss her, being completely romantic about it, the way he surprised her with the flowers and all. But was that really what he was thinking? Or was he simply just wanting to kiss her because, well, he's a man? And yet the most difficult question: Why did she feel so untrustworthy toward him? Was it the pessimism of the city curling its knobby fingers around her? She didn't like this feeling... Not at all.

It had all started the last fall. Robert came home with a gleam in his eyes, taking Giselle in his arms and swinging her around. She had been so proud and happy for him as he announced being promoted. He had hardly known at that point the hours he was taking on. Giselle managed of course, not thinking much of it. She didn't miss him yet. He was still there, still home at night to kiss her and talk to her about anything and everything, making sure she was happy. She became familiar to the relieved and yet guilty look in his eyes as he walked in the door and pulled her to his chest, telling her how much he loved her and thought of her. Life carried on, and Giselle didn't ask him for anything, she went along with it, she had a baby who needed her full attention, and she had a career of her own. It was many months later when that look in his eyes just…disappeared. Just like that, he was different, and obviously completely unaware of it. He didn't even seem to notice the way she responded to this... Every once in awhile, most of the time for only a very, very short while, the old Robert seemed to return to her with his sweet words, strong arms, and soft kisses. But then he was gone again and she collapsed within herself, angry with him for leaving, and angry with herself for thinking he was ever back to stay.

"Why do you do this?" Morgan asked.

"Do what, sweetie?" Giselle inquired.

"Anything…_everything_," Morgan shrugged in generalization.

"When we do things we don't think. Something important to us might be happening, a turning point in our lives could be going on right now, but we won't know that until we're reflecting on it later on. We don't think, Morgan, nobody does. We're a bunch of foolish people, some smoother talking fools than others, but we're all the same. If we had any idea how precious the time we have really is, then maybe we would think about what we do and be less foolish. But we're only human, we can only be fools. I'm no different, you're father is no different, even you are that way. Thinking on this makes us want to care about every little action, but after a few days…a few hours…a few minutes…we'll be back to acting before thinking and having our regretful thoughts afterwards." Giselle felt a hot tear fall down her face. "We say things we don't mean to, we get angry, and that's life, there's nothing we can do to stop it. Life is life. Life is hard, don't think it isn't. Life is really hard. We're only human."

Morgan watched her mother's eyes, troubled as they seemed there was still happiness amid the sea of regret and sorrow, it was just so far away. She wanted to say something in reply, something of comfort, but she couldn't think of anything to say after all of that. Instead, Morgan soaked up the wisdom that resounded in the words, committing them to memory before they would waste away, forgotten.

"But, nonetheless, chin up, we carry on. Right?" Giselle wiped her eye and smiled at Morgan encouragingly.

"Are you alright, Mommy?" Morgan mused quietly, hesitantly reaching out to touch her hand before quickly retracting at sudden sharp intake of breath.

"Oh, sweetheart, I love you," Giselle said as she swooped to Morgan's level and pulled her into a tight embrace with surprising speed. "I love you, I love you, I love you. Don't grow up, you are so perfect. Being your mother has made me the luckiest woman to ever live, I don't know how I ever got to call you my own."

With Giselle's arms grasping her, Morgan felt safer than she had in a long time. This whole situation with her parents temporarily meant nothing, but rather the fact that she felt loved and important. It was a good treatment for her wilting ego, even though her mother was practically crushing her, it felt right. Giselle's hair was in her face as Morgan was pressed into her shoulder, and it tickled her nose. She forced a whisper through her lack of breath, "Daddy caught you, remember?"

In a split second tears were flowing from Giselle's eyes, forming dark rivers of mascara down her face. Giselle felt as though her chest had just collapsed within itself, her lungs cracking and her heart breaking all at once. She felt her shoulders shudder. Those words, reminding her of the words she and Robert shared with each other, the ones that were usually filled with love and happiness were now a snide remark straight to the face. They mocked her and her firm belief in something that had abandoned her.

Meanwhile, the little girl in her arms became scared. Those strong arms of the woman she looked up to the most were now weak, though their grasp hadn't loosened. Anytime Giselle broke down it frightened Morgan, especially now that she thought it was her fault.

"I'm so sorry, I'm _so sorry_," Giselle sobbed.

"Stop," Morgan whispered before raising her voice slightly, "Just stop."

"What?" Giselle asked, holding her at an arms length as she squatted at her level.

"Stop being sorry, if you really thought it was your fault then you would do something, I know you would. But you just watch it happen and then say sorry for something you didn't even do. Just stop, I hate you being sad," Morgan said, her voice shaky and on the verge of cracking as she worked the courage to confront Giselle like that.

"Sweetie," Giselle gently ran her fingers down Morgan's cheek, sniffling.

"Quit it!" Morgan swatted Giselle's hand away, "My mom sings and smiles and is _happy_!" She gasped as she realized what she had just done. Never before had she even imagined yelling at Giselle when Morgan knew that it was the last thing her mother needed; another problem, another pain. But even as she watched Giselle's eyes, wide with shock, she felt more words beginning to spill from her mouth, "…You're not her."


	6. Chapter 6

_I own none of the characters. The idea for Enchanted is completely the work of Walt Disney studios not me._

_Chapter 6_

Giselle sat in a white room, a small room with walls that seemed to be pressing in on her. There was no door out, no exit at all.. Just plain, plaster white walls and a white floor, seeming to be the same as the walls. It was almost as if she were in a box. But above all, it was silence. A silence that was screaming to be broken. A silence so cold and sharp that it almost hurt.

"Hello, darling."

A chill ran down Giselle's spine. That familiar throaty voice. It has been so long since she had heard it, she thought it no longer existed. Yet, now it was greeting her again with its mock kindness.

"Miss me?"

Her body stiffened, hoping that the voice would go away. She willed it to leave her alone, to simply dissipate as quickly as it had made itself heard.

"Don't be rude, deary, I'm playing nice."

"You're not here, you're not here, you're not here," Giselle repeated to herself over and over, her eyes shut tight.

"I'm afraid that's false information," the voice said, just as Giselle opened her eyes to find that horrid face directly before her. It startled her, causing her to jolt and her heart to skip a beat.

"Narissa!" Giselle exclaimed, her own voice more shrill than she had intended.

"Who else?" the woman smiled, striking a pose, her dark dress sparkling in the striking brightness of the white room.

"What do you want from me?" Giselle asked slowly, swallowing, hard. Even in her unconscious state she knew this was a dream. But, like all of her other dreams from so long ago, it seemed so real.

"You didn't think I was really letting you off the hook, did you? Did you think that you could simply block me out with your silly fantasies of happiness? Giselle, _please_!" Narissa laughed, her cackle echoing in the room, now appearing much larger than it had only moments before. "Honestly, darling, when I said you would help me, I meant it. Willing or not, you _will_ help me come back."

"Narissa, I don't have time for this, I don't even have the energy for this. I have a family, I have a _life_!"

"Precisely," she grinned deviously, giving Giselle the chills once again. "Remember before your precious little brat was born, when I told you that you had two lives and I had none? Well, it appears as though I still have none, and my plans faltered last time. You see, while I was preparing myself to pull off my little trick and use the unborn _creature's_ life to bring myself back, it seems as though my stepson found a way to tamper and get in my way. In the meantime, you managed to pop the sucker out a little early, making it impossible for my glorious conspiracy to work. And Edward, the poor confused dear, having temporarily triumphed over me, trekked off to New York to warn you to be on alert. Of course, he came back without having found you, only to forget you all over again. And I? I waited. Until _now_."

"What? I don't understand…what could you possibly do to me now?" Giselle thought aloud, a lump rising in her throat.

"Tell you to be on alert, of course!" Narissa laughed, as if Giselle should have already known. As if it couldn't be more obvious.

"If you touch my son I--."

"Why would I do that? He no longer has any value to me. But, if he gets in the way…?" her evil implication wavered off into an unanswered question.

"Leave me alone, please," Giselle whispered. She tried to control her voice, keeping it from shaking, "What do you want from me?"

"Ha! Don't play dumb with me, princess," Narissa shook her head, suppressing a chortle. The banished queen let herself fall silent, her eyes piercing into the depths of Giselle's, "I've got you, you're breaking. I've really got you!"

"What are you doing to me?" Giselle's voice rose a little, cracking only slightly.

"This couldn't have been any easier! Toy with the knight in shining armor and it'll go straight into affect with the damsel," Narissa smiled sickly, her teeth—looking strangely sharper than Giselle remembered—showing.

"Wha--," Giselle started a question, but cut herself off. It was almost as if a light bulb had gone off in her head, shedding light upon everything she had known all along. She felt as though her knees might buckle at any given moment. Guilt, anger, and sorrow were only a few of the emotions in the huge blur of feelings she struggled to control. It wasn't Robert. It wasn't Robert at all. The man she had been sleeping in the same bed with for so long wasn't her husband. Not anymore, anyway.

Giselle forced herself to look into Narissa's eyes, only to see the joy her own torture was giving the hag. "How long?"

"How long what, dear?" Narissa asked, mock innocence ringing throughout the space.

"How long have you been controlling my husband?" Giselle demanded.

"Ha! Mind control! Oh the joy that would bring me," Narissa cackled, "I'm sorry, Giselle, but I simply can't do that. I know how disappointed you are, thought you had it figured out."

"What are you doing to Robert?" Giselle whispered, her heart pounding in her chest. She could even hear her heart in her ears, threatening to burst.

"Okay, you caught me," Narissa admitted dramatically, "Poor soul has been in my grasp for the past…month? Has it been that long? Ah, well, it didn't take too long for you to crack, did it now? He's difficult, I'll tell you that, always fighting against my will. Every once in awhile I just decide to let him go for a few minutes. And then, sometimes it's just fun to play with you." Her smile was cruel, her lips snarled over her teeth still.

"No, no you're lying," Giselle shook her head, refusing to believe it. Refusing to believe that Robert was really being controlled. It wasn't possible.

"Am I?"

The room got smaller. Giselle could feel Narissa behind her, her breath on her neck.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked, suddenly extremely aware again of how weak her knees were again.

"I'm going to get you, Giselle," Narissa breathed into her ear, "I'm going to tear you apart, and then you'll come running right into my arms. You resist all you want, but you'll break, and then you'll be mine."

"Never."

"You keep saying that," Narissa grinned, and started walking away. She walked through the blank white area that had seemed so tiny only moments before.

Giselle breathed out slowly, realizing she had been holding her breath. She turned slowly too see Narissa still walking away from her at quite an impossible distance, "Wait!"

"Yes?" Narissa replied, suddenly only three feet away from her.

"You said 'last time', referring to when I was pregnant…and now you said 'this time' as in…?" Giselle's sentence wavered off with uncertainty.

"Oh, I thought you knew!" Narissa smiled, her words dripping with sarcasm, "Whoops! Well, I guess that ruins the surprise." She frowned with fake disappointment.

"I…You were…controlling him?" Giselle didn't know what to think, only feeling the urge to cry building within her.

With this, Narissa grinned one last evil, sly smile, and vanished.

Giselle woke with a start, finding herself once again in her own bed. Robert slept beside her. While she would normally instantly crawl into his arms for comfort, she found herself moving further away from him.

_What if it was just a silly nightmare?_ Giselle thought. But it couldn't be. Could it? If there were any proof at all, it was seeing Edward on that news broadcast a year and a half ago. That really happened. Why else would he be back in New York besides what Narissa had said? It was impossible for this to be just a dream. She needed Robert, she _needed_ him.

She slid her hand onto her stomach, realizing that if she was going to give herself any _real_ proof that this "dream" wasn't a dream at all, she would have to find out if…If she was…pregnant?

Her eyes shut tightly, blocking out everything. A hot tear ran down her cheek, falling from her chin to the sheets. This was impossible. All of this was impossible. Her _life_ was impossible. There was no escape. No where to run. No where to hide. No one to go to for advice or comfort. There wasn't a single soul on the face of the planet who would believe any of this besides Robert. And Robert…wasn't himself.

"I need…I need…," Giselle whispered, though she couldn't find words to finish the sentence with. She didn't know _what_ she needed. Her chest heaved and fresh tears seared down her face, her breathing becoming rough and choppy. "I _need_."


	7. Chapter 7

_I own none of the characters. The idea for Enchanted is completely the work of Walt Disney studios not me._

_Chapter 7_

It was difficult for Giselle to decide which was worse, her husband acting strangely and never being around, or knowing that Narissa was behind it. The paranoia was the worst. She was always aware of the fact that it wasn't Robert walking around the house. It was as if Narissa herself was infiltrating her home, treading over their floors. Only it was worse than that, because she couldn't say or do anything about it. She couldn't fight against it. It was still her husband's body, it just…wasn't him.

Giselle kept Cooper close at all times, and tried her best to keep a close eye on Morgan. But Morgan could defend and protect herself a little if it came down to it, whereas Cooper couldn't. Constantly keeping him in her arms was her simple resolution. Part of her was afraid that the piece of Robert that was still there would notice her strange behavior around him, and another part of was only concerned with keeping her children safe. There was nothing she could think to do to help Robert—the real Robert. She could trek off to fight Narissa to get him back, but that was exactly what the old witch wanted her to do. In the meantime, Giselle thought it would be a good idea to prove all of this true.

Her heels clicked on the pavement, the fabric of her dress rustling around her legs as she walked at a quick pace. Thoughts clouded her brain, making it impossible for her to even consider focusing on anything work-related. The moment she walked into the studio, she intended to pass Cooper off to Sarah and go…get it over and done with. Find out. She _had _to find out.

She hoped it wasn't true. There were so many reasons she wished it wouldn't be true. If she was pregnant, it would mean that her dreams weren't just dreams and that everything Narissa had told her was true. But besides that, it would mean that she was _pregnant_. Goodness, she loved her children, and by all means had wanted another baby at some point, but this was insane. There were too many unanswerable questions. If Narissa was controlling Robert, there were innumerable amounts of things she could do with the dark magic she possessed. Unspeakable things. If she was pregnant, she would immediately question the paternity of the child. Giselle by no means slept with any other men, but, she had no idea what Narissa was capable of. It could be like The Son of the Mask, it was him, but it wasn't. It was the Mask. It was Narissa. It could be like Elphaba from Wicked. Green elixir. Dark magic. Yet, it would still be her child. She could not deny that. But there was so much more…so many things Narissa could have done. And…still do.

Cooper clung to her, his head tucked into the crook of her neck. Morgan was at Bethany's, but Giselle had insisted upon keeping Cooper with her. It wasn't that she cared less for Morgan, she just thought she would be safe with Beth. But Cooper…she supposed clasping him to her chest made _her_ feel a little safer. He was comforting, and it put her mind a little more at ease. It was the way she wanted it, the way she thought it ought to be for now. And right now, what she thought was best was the only thing she was going by. Anyone else's suggestions for her to take it a little easier would be shot down immediately. Her guard wasn't going down, it simply wasn't going to happen.

Fingers closing around the door handle, Giselle pulled the tall glass studio door open. The bell overhead rang softly and Mia looked up, her expression one of disappointment.

"Where've you been?"

"I…eh, had to make a short stop," Giselle said, shifting the baby in her arms in attempt to cover her uneasiness.

"You're acting weird," Mia narrowed her eyes on her.

"No, I'm not. I just had to pick something up. You're acting like I committed a crime," Giselle half-laughed, feeling Mia's cold glare boring through her.

"No, _you_ are acting like you've committed a crime," Mia replied.

"Nonsense," Giselle dismissed the subject. She moved across the room to put her tote bag on a table before silently surveying the room. Sarah was nearby, negotiating a dress with Emily. It seemed strangely quiet in the studio, despite Sarah and Emily's average-volume conversation. Giselle walked over to her coworkers and quietly nudged her way into the conversation.

"Giselle, should the bow be black? Or red to accentuate the underskirt?" Sarah inquired.

"Take the bow off," Giselle said.

"But…you designed it with the bow…," Emily replied quietly.

"And I have decided I like it without it. I want an inch-wide black ribbon with a red stripe through the middle as a waistband," Giselle said firmly, studying the dress on a sewing mannequin, "No, I want four two-centimeter-wide blacks ribbons with a line of red running the center of them to go around the top. The top one should be directly below the breast, the next three following with an inch and a half between each ribbon. The bottom one be right about at the waist. You want them to be elastic, or have elastic under them. See what I mean?"

"Ahh, yeah, yeah I get it," Sarah nodded, "I like it."

"Perfect," Giselle smiled weakly. She turned her head away from the dress to look at Sarah, "Mind holding Coop for a few minutes?"

"Hand him over," Sarah smiled, lifting Cooper out of Giselle's arms and coddling him.

"Thank you," Giselle said, pivoting on her heels and making her way towards the bathroom, taking a short detour to pick up her bag. Once safely inside the bathroom, Giselle locked the door and turned to drop her bag onto the small counter space beside the sink. She released a deep sigh as she unzipped the bag and pulled out a small box. "Just get it over and done with."

Mia glanced at the bathroom door again, her eyes narrow slits. "How long has she been in there?"

"Um, about twenty minutes?" Emily replied, looking up from the same dress they had been discussing before. She carefully measured the fabric beneath the first elastic ribbon they had sewn on, "Why?"

"Is it seriously just me? You two act like she's being perfectly normal!" Mia exclaimed.

"Mia, she hasn't exactly been…y'know, _okay_, recently," Sarah reminded her.

"Something is really off about her, she worries me," Mia said, throwing Sarah a sideways glance.

"She'll be fine," Sarah shook her head, bouncing Cooper on her knee.

"I just…there's something _off_ about her," Mia repeated, looking at the bathroom door again, "She's been in there for twenty minutes. That's not normal, not even for her."

"Mia, just--."

But she was already knocking on the door, her knuckles rapping on the wood. "Giselle?'

"I—I'm fine…," Giselle replied loudly. She turned the pregnancy test over and over in her hand, hoping the pink '+' would magically disappear. It was like a nightmare. A freakish nightmare that couldn't possibly be real. And yet, here was the proof, it was as real as her own existance.

"Are you sure?" Mia persisted, unconvinced.

Silence followed as Giselle's voice caught in her throat. Her head was spinning. It was _impossible_. Narissa said she was pregnant, and here, she was. Two days after the sex. It would be impossible for Giselle to have figured it out on her own that early. But Narissa _told_ her. Just as Mia was about to say something again, Giselle whimpered, though her voice was audible through the door, "Mia?"

"What's wrong?" Mia pressed her ear to the door, her voice urgent.

Giselle's stomach tightened, and she felt faintly woozy. Her fingers took hold of the door handle and she slowly opened it. Mia's first glimpse of Giselle was her face, white as paper and rather clammy-looking. Giselle's eyes were down, looking at something in her delicate hands. But all Mia saw was her face and those troubled eyes, which slowly met her own.

"I'm pregnant."


	8. Chapter 8

_I own none of the characters. The idea for Enchanted is completely the work of Walt Disney studios not me._

_Chapter 8_

Her eyes glanced over to the dining room table again. He still sat there, working. She didn't know what to do, what to say, what to think. It was beyond her knowledge as to whether or not she _ought_ to do something. She wanted to cry in his arms. But she couldn't. It wasn't him.

Giselle tightened her arms around Cooper slightly and kissed his head. The baby was fast asleep, his head on Giselle's shoulder as she swayed gently in the rocking chair. He was her means of comfort for the time being. His small fingers were wrapped loosely around the fabric of her shawl, and his cheek was warm against the cool skin of her shoulder. If all else failed, Giselle knew for a fact that she would always have her son. No one could ever take him from her.

Through the door to the kitchen, Giselle saw Robert stand from his seat. His shoulders heaved with a sigh before he turned away from the table, closing his briefcase. He came through the door and toward Giselle. Her arms tightened around her baby again, and she focused on a picture on the wall. The bright smile of the woman in the photo seemed so different from the way Giselle had ever felt about herself. But it _was_ her. She was laughing, one hand on Morgan's shoulder, the other holding Robert's hand. The Giselle and Robert in the picture had their eyes locked as they smiled. A smaller Cooper, clad in only a diaper, was held in Robert's other arm. Giselle found herself taking in every detail. The pure happiness in her own face. The amused and devoted grin on Robert's face. The way their fingers interlocked as if--.

"Giselle, are you alright?" Robert's voice pulled her back to reality.

"Oh! Yes, of course. Why wouldn't I be?" Giselle replied almost too quickly.

"You haven't been talking all day…," Robert said slowly, placing his hand on her shoulder.

She flinched as his fingers touched her skin, gently shrugging his hand away, "I'm fine."

"Sweetheart,…what's wrong?" he asked, kneeling beside the chair and looking into her eyes.

It was more than she could take. Giselle could hardly believe he was being controlled by Narissa at all, he was too…himself. And she needed him. Her desperate want for him to really be himself was almost pushing her over the edge. She wanted to tell him everything, to curl up in his arms and let him kiss her and comfort her. But she couldn't. She just couldn't.

"Nothing," Giselle repeated, offering him a faint smile. She hoped he would just believe her and let it go. She hoped he would go away.

"You must be tired, why don't you come to bed?" he offered in return, obviously convinced at least a _little_.

"No, I'm fine. You go on, Robert," she looked away from his penetrating eyes. His longing stare seemed to beg her to go with him.

"Alright," Robert sighed, standing to his full height again, "I'll put Coop to bed for you." He started to reach for the still sleeping infant.

"No," Giselle replied much quicker and much sharper than she had intended. Her harsh reaction had apparently confused or offended Robert, his expression just like that of a child scolded for eating chocolates that were never forbidden from him. "I mean, he's just so peaceful…I can handle him."

"Okay…," Robert responded hesitantly, "Well, I guess I'll head to bed." He bent and kissed her cheek and pretended to not notice how she had suddenly stiffened as he did so. "Love you, babe."

"'Night," Giselle whispered, watching him walk recede into the shadowy hallway. Her heart snapped, and she was suddenly aware of how impossible it was for her to do this. She needed him. Giselle felt her pulse race and her breathing become ragged. Tears spilled from her eyes and her whole body trembled. This was beyond her being. She couldn't do it.

"Robert," she whispered through her sobs, her voice cracking, though she knew he couldn't even hear her, "Robert, I need you."

The following week was hardly any different. Giselle pushed Robert away, for the most part out of fear. She refused to let him even touch Cooper, though she found it best that Morgan remain unaware of what was going on, which wasn't hard since Robert was never home except to tell her goodnight. Keeping Robert further than an arms length (at the least) seemed to become easier for her to do as time wore into another week, and then another. It was the most difficult in the beginning, more so keeping herself away from him than him away from her. Giselle needed him. She reprimanded herself, assuring herself that she only _wanted_ him, that she did not by any means 'need' him. Slowly, but surely, she found herself capable of bottling her emotions up and pushing them far away. It felt like survival mode, not quite numb, but certainly not painful. At the studio, she no longer felt herself breaking down, but rather confident. Giselle accomplished much more this way, in this aspect her new guarded self seemed to be helping her business. She strapped Cooper quite literally to herself, carrying him on her front. His head rested on her chest most of the time, that or he peeked over her shoulders at people. The baby didn't seem to mind being strapped this way in the sling-like contraption, and seemed to take comfort in pressing his head to her chest and listening to her heart beat. Even though Giselle had insisted upon keeping Cooper strapped to herself this way, she continued to take Morgan to Bethany's every day. Her daily schedule had become more of a routine that was almost robotic than ever before. And it was a program that she followed for week after week after week.

Giselle rolled out of bed, she felt slightly fuzzier than normal, her brain straining a little more than usual. She walked across the room, rubbing her eye as she did so, and looked at herself in the full-length mirror. The reflection didn't seem quite right. Truth be it, she couldn't remember the last time she really looked at herself in the mirror. Well, besides to put on makeup, which she hardly paid attention to anymore. The woman staring back at her now looked exceptionally tired, even for having just woken up. It was as if this person had gone 48 hours without any sleep, and then decided to finally go to bed only to get an hour of sleep. But it didn't stop there, no this woman had larger breasts than Giselle. Giselle looked down at herself to find that the reflection wasn't cheating her. Just as she realized this, she also found that she was considerably sore in that area. With a sigh, Giselle brought her gaze back to mirror. She pondered the idea of lifting her shirt to examine her stomach, but decided against it after several minutes. It didn't matter. She didn't want to know. She couldn't even recall how long ago it was that she took that pregnancy test anyway.

Knuckles rapped on the outside of her bedroom door, "Mom?"

"Yes, Morgan?" Giselle replied calmly, turning away from the mirror and stepping toward her closet.

The door cracked open and Morgan peeked in to see Giselle across the room, her back to her as she opened the closet. "Can I come in?"

"Mmhmm," Giselle nodded slightly. She grabbed a yellow dress without putting any thought into what she wanted to wear for the day. It didn't really matter to her.

Morgan padded quietly across the floor toward her parents' bed, taking a seat on the edge. She sat silently while Giselle pulled her t-shirt off over her head and pulled the dress on in one swift movement, though she seemed to struggle a little with getting the dress straight. Giselle grunted quietly as she adjusted the top, and groaned when she prodded herself wrong. Morgan frowned, realizing her mom was in pain, "Are you okay?"

"Ah--," Giselle sucked in air through her teeth, "Yes, I'm fine." She offered Morgan a pained smile, though she knew it was hardly convincing. Pivoting on her toes, she grabbed an elastic ponytail holder from the vanity atop the dresser and quickly pulled her hair into a simple ponytail. She moved back to the closet and picked a pair of white heels at random from the floor before sitting on the edge of the bed beside Morgan.

The girl watched her mother with interest, noting her awkward movements. She waited until Giselle had pulled her shoes on and sat up straight again before she said anything, though she wasn't at all sure what to say, "Mom, I was wondering if…? Eh, do you…? Are you sure you're okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Giselle asked as she tucked a stray red hair behind her ear.

"You just…I don't know," Morgan shrugged, looking into Giselle's eyes.

"I love you, sweetie," Giselle dismissed the subject. She smiled and kissed Morgan's forehead before sliding off the bed and heading for the hall to go get Cooper from the nursery.

Just as Giselle reached the doorway, Morgan realized what seemed so awkward and weird about her mom. It didn't seem possible at first, and she didn't know how but, "You look different."

Giselle stopped in her tracks, her hand on the doorframe. She felt her heart skip a beat, and her face flushed. Without turning around, she replied hesitantly, "What do you mean, sweetheart?"

"You just look…different," Morgan didn't know how to respond. She felt like she was in trouble.

"What's today's date?" Giselle mused, her brow furrowed as she turned around to face her daughter again.

"Um…August 27th?" Morgan answered quietly, her voice wavering.

"Hmm, school's coming up," Giselle replied simply and left the room. Her pace quickened as she walked down the hall, turning swiftly into the nursery and closing the door behind herself. The room was quiet and dark, the window blinds closed and the lights off. Giselle leaned against the wall beside the door, her chest heaving. Along with just about everything else, Giselle had paid no attention to the days that passed. Over two months had passed without her noticing. Could she possibly be nine weeks along? For some reason it didn't even seem probable. No morning sickness whatsoever. That was surreal. Her breasts were extremely tender. Not so wonderful. She wouldn't be showing yet. Would she? She couldn't even remember.

"Mama," Cooper whimpered. He knew she was there. There was always this sixth sense about the child that automatically knew when his mother was in the room.

Giselle tiptoed softly across the room to his crib. She reached across to the window and pulled the blinds open and squinted in the light. Cooper pulled himself to his feet using the bars of the crib to steady himself. He smiled brightly, delighted to see his mama. His blue eyes glinted as he let go with one hand to reach up toward her.

"Baby," Giselle lifted Cooper in her arms, coddling him against herself. His fingers reached for her face, splaying on her cheek. She took his hand and kissed his palm, to which he giggled, pulling his hand away.

"Yes," he giggled.

"No," she chortled, knowing that he meant 'stop'. She took his other hand and kissed his clenched fist.

"Mama!" Cooper squealed as he laughed. He tried to pull his fist away, but she held to his wrist.

"What?" Giselle scrunched her nose up and shook her head.

"Mama," he demanded in response.

"I don't think so," Giselle giggled before attacking his face with kisses. The baby shrieked with laughter, putting his hands out to stop her. She blew on his nose and laughed when Cooper put his hand on his nose in response. "Oh, Cooper, I don't know what I would do without you. You always cheer Mommy up."

"Yes," he smiled brightly, flashing his gums, as if he truly understood. His fists were planted on Giselle's bare collarbone, pushing himself away from her as he smiled.

"That's my boy," Giselle kissed his forehead, scrunching her nose up as she smiled back at him. She looked into his glinting eyes for several minutes, until she couldn't bear that familiar look of complete adoration the shimmered in them. It reminded her painfully of the Robert's eyes, and with her despair and longing for him, she was almost afraid to look on any longer. She was afraid she would trick herself into thinking they were really his eyes. "Well, Coop, I hate to take away your sincere joy, but I'm afraid I simply must dress you for the day."

Of all things, Giselle knew that getting clothing put on him was Cooper's least favorite activity of any day. The child would be well and happy if only left to crawl about in his footie pajamas all day long. Unfortunately, his mother thought of this as unacceptable. Giselle could recall a few times when (before she had her present problems) Robert would have Cooper for the day (a very rare day, indeed) and would be scorned when Giselle found out that he hadn't even bothered to dress the baby. It just didn't seem right, not at all.

No matter, Robert stayed a safe distance from Giselle, and an even safer distance from Cooper. So this no longer posed a problem.

More often than not, Giselle wondered what exactly Robert was thinking. That is, if he had his own thoughts at all. It was easier for her to push him away when she made herself believe he was simply some sort of robot nowadays. Just a pawn in Narissa's game. The possibility that he might actually have his own thoughts and be hurt by Giselle's treatment was just too difficult to overcome. Nonetheless, Giselle wondered. She had been downright terrible to him, he had a right to be angry with her if he had emotions to be angry with. After all, he was her husband, and this was basically separation from each other while still living under the same roof. Being unable to withstand the other, but tolerating them. Giselle wondered how she did it.

Truth be it, it was a difficult process. Being this way to Robert. A process that had become her daily routine. Her heart screamed and pulled her toward him. She ached from being so lonely. But she shut it out by telling herself whatever it took to silence these feelings. This was wrong. Giselle knew it. She _knew_ she was messing herself up. She realized quite awhile ago that by the time this had passed, and she figured out how to overcome whatever it was that Narissa was doing, and Robert was back to normal, she wouldn't know how to properly love him anymore. Not without a lot of other processes she would have to put herself through to get herself back to normal. She _knew _this was wrong. But she had to do it. For her own good. For her children's good. And for _Robert's_ good. In the end, if it was hardest for her, that was okay.

Unfortunately, she knew it was getting worse. The easier it got for her to shut herself up deep down inside of her body, the further away she was slipping. The further she got, the harder it would be to come back. She asked herself if the Robert she knew and loved would approve of what she was doing—for this cause. And the cold truth was that she didn't know. The Robert in heart told her that she was doing well, that this was the right thing, that he was proud of her for being strong. But another side of this man told her that she shouldn't be so hard on herself, that this was _bad_, that nothing was worth losing her. She didn't know which voice to listen to. Both spoke words she wanted to hear. She _wanted _to hear that he was proud of her for being strong and doing this. She _wanted_ to hear that she didn't have to do this anymore and that she could just curl up in _his_ strong arms.

"_To never be with the one you love…" _

Giselle always heard Narissa's words repeating in her mind. They haunted her. The hag was trying to tear Robert from her grasp again, and there was nothing to do this time. There was no sword to grab and fiend off some vindictive dragon. This was a mental battle. If Giselle were to go to Narissa to get Robert back this time too, it would be giving the witch exactly what she wanted. And if Giselle could just keep Robert away from her until…

Until when? Was Narissa ever going to give him back? If Giselle could just keep Robert away _forever_? Then maybe they could all live happily ever after? Apart?

All of the sudden, Giselle couldn't remember why she was doing this at all. She started from the beginning, running through the sequence of events in her thoughts, absentmindedly spoken aloud.

"Narissa controlled my husband to…get me pregnant…? So that she could the life of this unborn child in order to revive herself…?" Giselle filled in the blanks she was uncertain about, trying to make sense out of all of this. "She continues to control Robert in attempt to make me crack and run straight into her arms to make her stop, and she'll be ready and waiting. I, in my attempts to break her plan and defy her will, am avoiding my husband at all cost and breaking myself away from him in order to…keep her plan from working. Because if I don't crack and run to her…she can't take my child's life…?"

Her brow furrowed as she lifted a fully dressed Cooper into her arms again. Something didn't fit. There was a piece of this puzzle that she must have misplaced.

"I won't go to her because she'll take my child's life." It didn't sound right. "I won't go to her because she'll take my child's life. I won't go to her because she'll take my child's life. She'll take my child's life. My child's life. My _child_."

For the first time, Giselle hesitantly put her hand on her stomach. It wasn't as though she had a huge bump she had bothered to recognize, no. Not at all. There was nothing there. No sign of life. Something clicked in her mind. The puzzle piece fit.

"I'm not pregnant," she told herself uneasily. "I'm not pregnant. I'm _not_ pregnant. I'm _not pregnant_." Giselle repeated this aloud again and again, becoming more sure of herself. Convincing herself that it wasn't true. She was getting desperate, she knew it. This was all an illusion, she told herself. Robert loved her, she told herself. She'd had a silly bad dream, she told herself. He would be home tonight, she told herself.

"Everything is normal."


	9. Chapter 9

_I own none of the characters. The idea for Enchanted is completely the work of Walt Disney studios not me._

_Chapter 9_

Her eyes were cast downward, watching the floor. Cooper slept quietly in her lap, his head wedged between her arm and her side. The rocking chair swayed gently as Giselle pushed off the wooden floor with her bare toes. The room was rather peaceful, no sounds besides that of the rain slapping the windows and exterior of the building, the occasional clap of thunder, and Morgan's pencil scratching away at her homework. Robert was due home any moment now, and Giselle was doing her best to not be jumpy.

Giselle had been correct, school _was _coming up. She had said that hardly over a week ago, only to go into a slight frenzy buying school supplies and a new uniform for Morgan the next day in order to get her ready for the first day of school just two days later. At least it seemed as though Morgan was enjoying fourth grade so far. The nine-year-old Morgan seemed to cope with sociality a little better than the shy six-year-old Morgan Giselle had met over two years ago.

Though she had been quite wrong about everything being normal. She had kept the same distance from Robert, going on without ever truly acknowledging him. It seemed as though Morgan knew perfectly well what was going on anymore, but she didn't protest. She didn't bring up. The matter was simply left alone. Maybe Morgan thought that her parents just didn't love each other any more, and that they would get a divorce. Which was the absolute last thing Giselle wanted to happen after all of this. But she knew Morgan had classmates whose parents had separated. This accommodation didn't seem too uncommon for parents these days.

Truth be told, Giselle was truly scared of Robert. She became skittish and unsettled anytime he came near her. This had to be a result of making herself avoid him at all cost as though he would hit her if she came too close. She knew he wouldn't, but knowing it didn't give her mind any resolve. He seemed darker recently. Particularly his eyes. Something about his piercing, cold blue eyes had become dark and hidden. He had more facial hair as well, not bothering to shave quite so often anymore. After all, it wasn't as though she kissed his cheeks when he came home and complained about his gruffness. He seemed to avoid her as well nowadays, staying out of her way as much as she stayed out of his.

"Hi, Daddy," Morgan said quietly, looking up from her homework as her father silently came into the kitchen. Giselle watched from her perch on the rocking chair in the living room to see his reaction and response.

"Hey, sweetie," Robert smiled softly, though Giselle couldn't tell if it was sincere or not. "You just about finished with your homework?"

"I just finished," Morgan said, papers rustling as she put worksheets into folders and folders into her backpack. The little girl seemed to be in a bit of a nervous rush, sure that her father was going to ask her to leave anyway and deciding that the sooner she stashed herself away in her room, the better.

"You wanna put Coop in his crib for Mommy on your way back to your room?" he asked. Though there wasn't really a choice in the matter. Not to mention the implied "go to your room and stay there" built into the phrase..

"Yes, Dad," Morgan replied quietly, slinging her backpack over her shoulder and walking back through the living room and toward Giselle. As she came to her mother, Morgan gave her a look of some difficulty to determine the emotion behind it.. The expression was somewhat pleading, somewhat sympathetic, and yet…encouraging. It was almost as if Giselle could feel her daughter's genuine faith in her, and it was a feeling that gave her every reason to continue on and handle anything Robert could possibly dish out at her after having simultaneously ignoring her for so long.

Giselle almost forgot about passing Cooper off to Morgan, the gaze distracting her. She lurched a little as she remembered, lifting Cooper from her arms and handing the groggy baby to Morgan. "Careful with him, Sweetie. He's tired, just put him in his crib and he'll be fine."

Nodding feebly as she adjusted Cooper in her arms, Morgan leaned forward and kissed Giselle's cheek, "I love you, Mommy."

Tears threatened to spill over as Giselle gave Morgan a watery smile, "I love you too, Morgan." Morgan stood there for a few more moments, not wanting to leave her mom. Giselle looked to the dining room and exchanged a very brief glance with Robert, who seemed to be getting a little agitated. "Go on, I'll come in to tuck youin later," she whispered to Morgan, sending her on her way.

Robert continued to amble around the kitchen, taking off his waistcoat, loosening his tie; the regular routine when he came home from work. As soon as he heard the door to Morgan's room close, after listening for the nursery door, he stopped. His jawed clenched and unclenched before he called into the living room, without looking in that direction in the least, "Giselle."

Giselle had been fidgeting in her chair, hoping something, _anything_, would happen so that she wouldn't be alone with him. She was scared. After being so separated for so long, and then suddenly having a one-on-one requested. Being summoned, she rose from the rocking chair and padded slowly into the kitchen, her bare feet silent on the wood floors. She wrung her hand, hoping to keep herself from trembling. Stopping at the edge of the kitchen, Giselle awaited whatever might next come.

"I need to talk to you," Robert said, calmly, his tone very serious, yet very bland and unrevealing.

The first thought that came to mind was divorce, something that would drive her insanity itself in raging hysterics if he were to request it. But the idea left her as quickly as it came. Robert were never do such a thing without any warning beforehand. Her voice was weaker than she had expected when she spoke, "Yes, Robert?"

He sighed deeply, composing himself before meeting her gaze, "I…I've been seeing a shrink."

"A shrink?" she echoed feebly.

"A psychiatrist, Giselle," Robert clarified, suddenly becoming irritable again. He stood, leaning against the counter, his hands clutching the ledge.

"Why?" Giselle felt stupid the moment the question escaped her, but it had been the only thing she was capable of saying. Her fears returned, wondering why exactly Robert would think he needed help.

"Because, Giselle," Robert said loudly, not quite a shout, but no longer calm or controlling. He stopped himself and took a deep breath to gain composure and keep himself from yelling. "Because…my brain, it just…works on it's own. I mean, I control myself, but my thoughts…they're not mine. All I can focus on is work, and I—I don't _want _to!"

Giselle's eyes widened, realization washing over her. Narissa might be controlling Robert, but it was only so long before he noticed something was wrong.

"I knew I shouldn't have said anything, I knew it. You think I'm crazy. You think I--," he stopped himself again as his voice started rising.

"No! Robert, I don't--," Giselle stopped herself as well, swallowing. "I don't think you're crazy, Robert."

"Yes. You do. You don't understand. I can't be around you or close to you without wanting to _hurt_ you. I—you make me so angry, and you don't even _do _anything. I love you. I don't want to hurt you. I just—I can't handle myself anymore. I don't know what's wrong with me. So I went to a shrink…" Robert fell silent, his fists clenching the countertop so tightly that his knuckles were white.

Giselle cowered away slightly, her fears vocalized. She was now more scared than she thought she really could have been. Robert just said it; he wanted to hurt her; he couldn't be close to her. She swallowed the lump forming in her throat and avoided his eyes, "How long…? I mean—Has it helped?"

"No. She says that my anger seems to be settled around you, and that I should have you come with me," he continued, his eyes downcast.

"She?" Giselle felt small, her voice high.

"Yes, Giselle. _She._ My _psychiatrist_," Robert's anger seemed to flare again. He shook his head and ran his hand through his hair. He looked at Giselle, holding her gaze.

It was then that Giselle felt strong and unafraid. Robert's eyes had returned, with the same loving, longing stare she remembered. She couldn't push him away. Not when she remembered how much she truly loved this man; the man she married; the man who fathered her child. Just by looking into his eyes she knew he was still there, clouded by the grasp of evil. But he was still there.

"So…Will you go with me?" Robert asked, simply, as if it didn't _really_ matter to him. His guard was up again. He wouldn't show any more signs of weakness. He had told her what he needed to tell her; sunk as low as he would allow himself. Now he only needed her consent and agreement.

"Of course," Giselle replied with sincerity, as if he needn't even ask, it was already done, "What time?"

"Eight o'clock, tomorrow night.. Patrick & Adams, it's in the building across the street from my office. You shouldn't have trouble finding it."

"I'll be there."

_Happy Thanksgiving, all! _


End file.
